Power path bonus method

ABSTRACT

A gaming machine is described wherein one or more moving indicators travel near or amongst slot machine symbols or playing cards granting awards, bonuses, attributes or selection criteria that may affect the game outcome for the current play, subsequent plays or other game segments.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Continuation-in-Part of application Ser. No.11/527,317 entitled “Gaming device with perimeter bonusing”, filed Sep.27, 2006, and is also based on and is a Continuation-in-Part ofProvisional Application Ser. No. 60/728,083, entitled “Gaming devicewith perimeter bonusing”, filed Oct. 19, 2005. The disclosure of each ofthese earlier applications is incorporated herein by this reference,with each of these earlier applications being commonly owned with thisapplication.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

This document may contain copyrighted or copyrightable materials. Theowner consents to photocopying by anyone only in the form as may bepublished by the United States Patent Office. Otherwise the ownerreserves all rights whatsoever.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to games generally and in particular to gamingdevices such as slot and video poker machines.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Slot machines and video poker machines are forms of gambling deviceswell known in the art. New methods and technologies are incorporatedregularly for efficiency, for marketing and to keep things fresh. Somerecent innovations involve the use of touch screen panels, programmablebuttons (with or without displays), and computer networking where gamesare played individually, collectively, remotely, collaboratively,competitively or in any combination. Video games are popular, but gameswith mechanical parts or those that simulate mechanical functions dowell, too. New game designs and play methods are necessary to stimulateplayer interest, excitement and wagering as well as to serve changingdemographics.

SUMMARY

During the play of a slot machine a moving indicator travels amongst thereel symbols. When the indicator stops it applies a bonus trait to oneor more of the nearest symbols or symbol positions. Various schemes aredisclosed to assure swift and practical design, desirable mathematicalcharacteristics, regulatory compliance and approvability, and,ultimately, better games for players. This invention applies equally tocard games such as video poker and playing cards may substitute for reelsymbols or positions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a slot machine reel window surrounded by a travelingaward marker 10.

FIG. 2 illustrates one set of possible payline paths in a typical videoslot machine reel window.

FIG. 3 illustrates a slot machine reel window surrounded by severalamounts and multipliers that may be variously highlighted 20 to simulatea traveling award.

FIG. 4 illustrates one use of a traveling award indicator over a bank ofmultiple machines.

FIG. 5 illustrates five slot machine reels surrounded by a perimeter ofpossible dollar values and a $5 award 30 indicated.

FIG. 6 shows an alternative slot machine configuration displaying 22symbols surrounded by a curvilinear perimeter whose pay 100 award 40 mayapply to more than 1 reel symbol.

FIG. 7 illustrates one possible power path around and in between 5reels.

FIG. 8 is one possible power path display example where perimeter spacestake up more than one position, and/or adjacent awards of the same valueare represented as a single award.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart detailing steps involved in one embodiment of thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

In a primary embodiment an invention is described where slot machinereels are surrounded by a border containing values. As the reels spin anindicator or marker moves through adjacent spaces in the border. Afterthe reels stop the moving marker stops on a value, and said value isapplied to all payline/s that coincide with the nearest symbol.

Said indicator may be represented by an arrow, a highlight, a halo, acircle, a backlight, a color change or any suitable means.

In a standard video configuration there are 5 reels displaying 3 symbolseach (a “5×3”). A symbol may be comprised of or referred to herein asindicia. Assuming there is one stopping position for each perimetersymbol, there are 12 possibilities as shown in FIG. 1. Normally themoving marker begins at top left and travels clockwise. Stopping isdecided by the RNG. Of course there are various other videoconfigurations such as a 4×4, 5×5, 6×3 and more, such as that shown inFIG. 6, which may or may not be symmetrical.

The value of the moving marker typically varies from play to play andfrom position to position. Said value is a multiplier applied to anyaward paid on or otherwise based on the payline/s using the nearestsymbol to the marker even if the marked symbol is not directly involvedin the win (if, for example, a 2 of a kind pay is made and the 5thsymbol position is highlighted). Alternatively the marker or indicatormay act as an actuator to apply special characteristics or attributes toa symbol or to any aspect of indicia instead of an award. Said specialcharacteristics may extend beyond the original confines of the symbol tonew positions.

For example, a player gets 5 bars on line 4 whose path resembles an “A”configuration across the 5 reels. The moving marker stops above reel 3.Five bars pay 100 and the moving marker's multiplier value is 3 (whichmay optionally be displayed as 3×). Thus the player is paid 300 insteadof 100.

There are several variations related to this embodiment. The stoppingposition of the indicator may not be random or pseudo random, butpredetermined at the time of betting, it may be weighted so that somepositions are more likely than others, it may be a function of othergame events such as the bet, game or event history or otherwise. Themovement of the indicator may take any motion such as every other space,random or other and not take a direct path through adjacent positions.The distance traveled may be any.

An indicator or indicated symbol may result in a value or award that isfixed, random, stratified random or weighted, a function of the wager orthat is determined by one or more other events. The award may not onlybe a multiplier, but may be an award such as a number of credits and/orsomething else of value. For example, tools may be awarded for use in asubsequent game segment, or value may lie in triggering one or morebonus events offering the potential for additional wins. As shown inFIG. 5, the perimeter award may be dollar amounts 30. Other things ofvalue may include, but are not limited to, any combination of awards andthey may even change in function, value or amount at any time.

The indicator may alternatively ascribe initial or subsequent values orcharacteristics to blank symbols or playing cards.

The indicator may or may not directly or indirectly affect a payline. Itmay or may not only affect the nearest symbol when that symbol is usedin a win. For example, if a 4-in-a-row winner occurs and the indicatorstops adjacent to a 5^(th) dissimilar symbol on the same payline, theremay be no bonus, additional value or award. In another form an indicatormight simply pay an award when it stops next to a predetermined collectsymbol, or only if one or more collect symbols appear anywhere onscreenhaving nothing to do with a payline. Or, an award may be paid or abenefit ascribed even if the nearest symbol is not involved directly, orindirectly, in a win.

Similarly a bonused symbol may be at the intersecting point for multiplepaylines and so may (or may not) pay multiple times or grant multiplebenefits.

In another embodiment the indicator may affect symbol/s other than thenearest symbol/s. For example, the perimeter path taken by the movingmarker may take the form of a skating hockey player. At appropriatetimes a shot is taken and the puck designates one or more symbols toreceive an award, characteristic or other benefit. Similarly, otherapplications may use a path that is not adjacent to the reels or symbolsat all, if, for example, the video reel screen is surrounded by a stripof lamps that turn off and on to simulate the position of the movingmarker and to highlight values.

In another embodiment activating the indicator requires an additionalbet.

In another embodiment the nature of the gaming device screen may takeany form such as physical reels or video, which may display any numberor type of reels or symbols.

In another embodiment the indicator is only activated by another eventor combination of events.

In another embodiment the indicator causes one or more characteristicsof the nearest symbol to change. For example, the indicator may causethe nearest symbol to become wild.

In another embodiment a characteristic ascribed to a particular symbolunder the manner of the present invention may be perceived as a negativeif, for example, it takes away a previously awarded free spin or reducesa symbol's winning value in the paytable.

In another embodiment the player may select one or more actions that theindicator may take upon a symbol from any number of choices provided.Said choices may be predetermined, randomly granted or bought.

In another embodiment the reel indicator moves between or around symbolsand reels, either horizontally, vertically, diagonally, around theperimeter, in a non-contiguous fashion or in any combination. Theindicator may travel back and forth or around playing cards in gameslike poker.

In another embodiment the indicator pays or acts differently if it landson a corner or in other predefined position/s.

In another embodiment there may be any number of indicator stoppingpositions that correspond to each symbol or in total and it may varybetween plays, within a play or at any time.

In another embodiment the indicator continues moving for some time afterthe reels stop moving. Similarly the indicator may start or stop at anysuitable time, or at any position.

The indicator may be stopped and restarted offering the possibility ofmultiple applications, player choices and/or bets.

In another embodiment there may be multiple indicators movingsimultaneously, consecutively, together, independently or in anycombination. Each may take the same or different paths or offer the sameor different actions. That is, one might pay an award value, whileanother might be a multiplier, while still another might cause adjacentsymbol/s to become wild. Multiple bonused symbols may act in combinationif, for example, a 2× bonus and a 3× bonus affect the same or differentsymbols involved in a pay then 6× may be granted.

In another embodiment, and as illustrated in FIG. 6, a single indicator40 may affect more than one symbol. Adjacency may or may not berequired.

The value granted by the indicator, the benefit conferred by theindicator or the indicator itself may remain active and span multipleplays of the gaming device, with or without an additional bet option.

In another embodiment the indicator of this invention is applicable toskill games or card games including video poker. In a skill game theindicator may provide some time interval and require a specific playeraction or game event to occur promptly in order to ascribe the benefitdisplayed to the current symbol/s. After a time, it may move on.

In another alternative embodiment the games may be networked and all orany aspects shared across multiple machines or ascribed to individualmachines. Referring now to FIG. 4, the indicator may apply to arepresentation of several machines and move from machine to machine.Similarly, it may apply to any subset of represented machines, to onlycertain lines or symbols of represented machines, or to any portion orcombination of represented machine/s and their displays. Benefits may beascribed to represented machines individually where further actions maybe undertaken, or not, by the game program or by the player/scollectively or separately. The indicated benefit may be appliedglobally to all machines, multiple machines, or applied to all symbols,or to any selection or subset of symbols such as scatters, specialsymbols, major or minor symbols, blue symbols or paylines. Networkversions may optionally employ any or all of the above elements in anycombination. Network games may be played and paid individually, or theymay be competitive or collaborative among multiple players, gamingpositions and/or games. Gaming devices may be standalone machines orfunction as terminals as in the case of server-based gaming or lotterygames.

Thus, this invention adds a new aspect to gaming devices such as slotmachines. This adds a favorable anticipation factor beyond just spinningreel outcomes. This invention can also affect the volatility of gamingdevice returns. In a typical embodiment after the reels spin players areeager to see what their benefit might be from a still moving indicator.The form of this invention is easy to implement, aesthetically pleasingand commercially viable.

This invention may be practiced in many ways. The perimeter trackdescribed herein may be referred to as the Power Path (“PP”). Commonlyit contains values, multipliers or bonuses that may affect slot machineor poker game outcomes. The PP itself may take any course around,between or amongst the reels. FIG. 7 shows one alternative. Which itemsare possible on the PP may be called its palette.

The composition of said palette may vary in different embodiments of thepresent invention. It may vary from game to game in a single embodiment.If each palette item is drawn independently as is common, the full setor only a subset of items may be displayed for any game. For example, ifthe palette is comprised of values 1 through 10 and each has anindependent probability of 10%, then for one game you might only have1s, 2s, 4s, 7s, 8s, 9s and 10s on the PP, while for the next game youmight only have 2s, 3s, 4s, 5s, 6s and 8s. In an embodiment having 32 PPspaces filled from a palette (set) of 10 or fewer items, the same itemmay appear often in adjacent positions. That is, you may have a 5, 5 andanother 5 right next to each other. Practically, then, there is norestriction on how this is displayed and PP spaces themselves may bevariously sized and any PP item or space may be larger or smaller thanits neighbor. Whether or not the PP is generated pursuant to theexample, perimeter items and spaces may vary in size and apply to anynumber of reel symbols. For example, instead of three 5s a single 5 maybe shown 80 as in FIG. 8.

In a preferred embodiment, the RNG is called multiple times during agame equipped with the PP. First the composition of the PP is found.That is, each PP item is selected individually. Next, the travelingindicator chooses one of the, commonly 32, positions. Finally the RNGchooses the normal gaming device outcome and winners are decided. SeeFIG. 9. Other embodiments may be different.

PP items may permit unique and interesting bonuses. Three adjacent 5s inthe above example may alternatively pay 15. This may be displayed to theplayer in innumerable ways including repeating the underlying event 3times paying 5 each time. This may also lead to sequential pays ofanother sort. For example, a PP having a 1, 2, 3 in adjacent spaces maypay 6 and/or be paid according to new, additional and/or sequential payschedules. Note while these examples are simple for illustration thesemeans and methods may be used to play or trigger more complicated eventsand bonuses such as second-screen (subsequent segment) games orqualifiers to participate in other games or segments that may or may notrequire additional bets.

In other versions time and the number of plays factor in. The gamingdevice may provide for multiple plays or play sessions for a wager or byother means, and the number of plays and individual or overall gameduration may be fixed, variable, contingent on skill play, randomoutcomes, player choices, free games, altered by wager, by other playersin a networked fashion or otherwise. Gaming sessions may similarly belengthened, shortened, extended, terminated, paused, suspended and/orresumed to facilitate game play, player choices, qualificationprocedures or processes, other players, community play, playercommunications, wagering, etc., and the pay schedules may be alteredaccordingly. This invention may also be used with new play intervals andto promote unique session-play bonuses wherein some or all game segmentsinvolve extended play, time-based play or rewards acquired, managed orascribed by any internal or external source or means. Any or all ofthese options and more may be traits obtained, displayed or delivered byway of the PP or otherwise.

The PP may also provide a means to select players, teams or other setsfrom a network pool of gaming stations or player positions forcollaborative or competitive play or for other purposes. PP indicia mayrepresent other players, and the PP may establish subsets of linkedplayers for team play—to “choose sides”, for example. Spin the bottle,anyone? Accordingly the PP may change its function (and form) from abonus indicator to a selection means or otherwise between or duringdifferent game segments.

Similary the PP may play a role in deciding opponent/s during a gamefeature or segment. Say, for example, you must beat all other players towin the game and a prize or benefit. Players may be represented by anysuitable means including caricatures that may or may not denote playerattributes. That is, a player immune to harm during the next gamesegment may be depicted with a halo and/or smiling, while a player witha large bankroll or number of credits may be shown with moneybags, andstill another that has attained an experience or other advanced level ofplay may have gold stars.

While one advantage of the PP games is that it adds a wonderfulenhancement to traditional style games for a single wager, thecomposition of the PP palette may be bought in some embodiments. Thatis, coincident with a greater wager more or better awards are possible,and said awards may include more fixed or variable play time, more gamesegments, other bonuses or features and the like. These more and betterawards may be obtained through any interplay or combination of events oroutcomes between the PP and the base game reels, symbols, playing cardsand/or indicia thereon. Similarly fewer undesirable outcomes may bebought.

Players often wonder if their bonuses are rigged. A common question fromplayers is, “Does it matter which treasure chest I choose from the 5offered, or is my award predetermined no matter which I choose?” Or, “Isthe next card drawn from the remaining draw poker deck already decided,or does it matter which card I discard and replace?” While the answersmay not matter statistically speaking, they do reveal players commonlydon't understand statistics or are otherwise untrusting of the methodsused in casino games.

In most casino games and bonuses there is no way to know that perhapsthe player's last outcome was just one number away from the $10,000,000jackpot. But the present invention in preferable embodiments allowsplayers to know and see for themselves if and when they just missedsomething good.

It should be noted with enthusiasm PP games naturally provide a newlevel of enticement. That is, you get near misses frequently without thenegativity of the former Enticer program sold by Universal in the 1990s.(That game first determined a win or loss, and if a loss manipulatedreel outcomes to display a near jackpot miss. It was subsequently barredfrom most U.S. jurisdictions by regulators.) Commonly the PP willdisplay very large values or favorable bonuses, but you may or may notget them. For example the selected PP item may be a 100 or number offree spins, but the adjacent symbol position isn't used in a win and youdon't get it. Or, you may only get a PP award of 2, but there's a 50right next to it. You might even get a randomly generated PP full ofdesirable awards (50s, 100s, free spins, wilds, bonus triggers, doubleand triple wilds [items that not only make one or more nearby symbolswild, but that also multiply awards by 2 or 3 times, respectively]), butnot get any of them! Very few gambling games have a means to display anear miss, and ones that do generally elicit solid player acceptance.Witness the Big Wheel that has withstood the test of time, and alsoIGT's Wheel of Fortune and derivative games, even though the latterobviously has a software bias towards smaller winners. (That is, unlikea form of the present invention that weights the PP possibilities firstand then stops randomly and fairly, the wheel has no means to adjustawards from play to play and therefore must stop in a programmed andobviously biased fashion.) The point is to a greater degree than mostany other game you get to see what was possible, the selection from PPitems displayed is random and fair, and an inducement and enticement toplay on is created in a perfectly natural and allowable way.

Another great benefit of the present invention is its impact onvolatility and the traditional paytable. For example, a very smallpayline win of 2 may be combined with a PP bonus of 100 paying 102! Alowly winner can pay big! But the same PP award of 100 over a line winof 2500 isn't that big of a deal. In the latter case you would muchprefer a 2 times multiplier (2×) to get 5000! But if you had the 2×multiplier over your small win of 2, it would only be worth 4. So, whatyou want and what you get from the PP has a very unique impact ontraditional gaming payouts.

Having described with some peculiarity independent generation of itemsdisplayed on the PP, it should be reiterated this is not a requirement,and that in certain embodiments it may be preferable more traditionalmapping or other methods be used. Consider the 32-space PP thatsurrounds a traditional 3×5 video reel game as shown in FIG. 3. MostU.S. jurisdictions require that as bets increase a game must average anequal or greater payout to the player. Here payline 1 (see FIG. 2) isthe center line from left to right across all 5 reels. Notice this linehas only 2 symbols coincident with the PP, its endpoints on reels 1 and5. However, the symbols on paylines 2 and 3 (the top and bottom of all 5reels, respectively) all touch the PP and mathematically are normallythe best possible paylines. Further, corner symbols have 4 perimetertouches each instead of the usual 2. Finally paylines 4 and 5 (a “V”shape and “A” shape through the reels, respectively) have only 3 symbolseach that touch the PP. Since, in the case of common 20-line video slotsthe payline bet conventions offer only 1 line, 3 lines, 5 lines, 10lines and 20 lines cumulative play buttons, these can pose a problemwhen this PP is used. That's because a 3-line selection has so many morepossible PP hits, relatively speaking, than any other selection. Inother words, with all else being equal, the return to the player wouldincrease from 1-line to 3-line play, but drop from 3-line to 5-lineplay, and this is not allowable in many markets.

Fortunately, this problem is easily overcome. One way is to change thepayline selections offered. A preferred embodiment retains perhaps thebest characteristics of the game, whereby each PP item is generatedindependently and the same as any other position, but restricts the betselections to only 1-line, 5-line, 10-line and 20-line play. Note thisis illustrative, but for a given implementation these bet options mayvary, since payline paths themselves vary greatly. (Individual paylinesmay be left-to-right, right-to-left, extend from one side to another [asin starting from reel 3 and finishing on reel 2], be vertical in wholeor part, be non-contiguous as with scatter pays, be reel-dependent onlywithout regard to position, or be any.) Enabling the PP may simply bere-priced depending on the number, path, length or composition ofpaylines selected or otherwise. There are many options in design.

Another way to overcome this potential problem is to weight different PPitems differently depending on the bet. Assume the palette for each of32 PP spaces is normally comprised of the same 10 items cited above,awards of 1 through 10, and each has a probability of occurrence of 10%.The PP items above payline 2 and below payline 3 may be skewed, suchthat the highest-paying 5 items only have a probability of 5% each andthe lowest 5 paying items have a combined probability of 75%. Or, the 9sand 10s may be removed entirely from some spaces, such that only 1sthrough 8s are possible. It follows that any PP subset or item may havea different possible set of outcomes and/or different weighting meansfor different games, betting schemes or as needed to achieve anyobjective. Various PP palettes may be specific to paylines, wagers, orother predefined bet or wins alone or in combination.

Another approach would be to map the PP similar to reel mappingconventions. For example, the PP may be 1, 3, 2, 6, 9, 10, 8, 7, 4, 1,3, 2, 6, 5 . . . and so on. This is a map of sorts or layout that may befixed by position (each item is always in the same PP space), variable,fixed, or that may be rotated or “spun” similar to a reel. In the caseof a fixed means lower valued items may be adjacent to reel 2 and 3symbols, and higher valued items may be adjacent to reel 1 symbols.(It's optional if similar amounts are adjacent.) Similarly detrimental,negatively-perceived or 0 value items including blanks may only occur atcertain points within the PP. Any of the above methods and others may beemployed in whole, in part or in combination to achieve any objectivewithin the scope and spirit of the present invention.

The PP may also be used as a match game and not necessarily as a slotmachine or gambling device. For example, matching PP outcomes to reel orother outcomes may be appealing to players. The PP palette may containsymbols that match reel symbols and when aligned ascribe a benefit orattribute. Q to Q, for example, might make that reel position wild orpay double for all involved wins.

The PP may be itself may be a secondary event, game segment or bonus! Itmay be earned or bought with a separate or additional or combined betoption. For example, the PP may occur randomly or only come up whencertain conditions have been met. It may be considered a secondgame-segment, it may be used as a shared feature by multiple devices orbetting stations similar to that in FIG. 4 or it may only be enabled atcertain times of day for selected players.

Players may also select from a plurality of palettes that may or may notbe included, purchased separately, tied to particular bet selectionsincluding line or credit per line bets or that may be won. For example,a particular reel combination may trigger a bonus, said bonus includingan option to select from a set of PP palettes.

When a PP bonus is paid there are many ways to display it. If, as insome embodiments, it is only applied to affected line wins, then someline or other wins may not be affected. Since traditional slot machinesoften have only Credits, Bet, Win and Paid meters the Win meter onlyshows a total. The present invention contemplates using popup screens toshow PP wins separately. These may or may not be added in a popup orother manner to arrive at the win total. This does not preclude one ormore new display meters to count or accumulate PP wins, awards, tools,bonuses or related data.

When a PP indicator means is used it may be preferable to offer playersa speed control. It can be difficult for new players, older players orthe visually impaired to follow a traveling highlight, especially whilethe reels are spinning. While the indicator may stop at any time—evenbefore the reels stop—it often continues for a short time after thereels. A speed control available to players can slow this down so it maybe followed (and enjoyed) more easily. Experienced players may want itto travel and/or stop faster than others. A player stop button may alsostop the PP indicator immediately, adding a skill component in fact orimplied.

Also, while 1 or more perimeter awards may be indicated, it may be thatall perimeter awards are active and no PP indicator, highlighter orselection process is needed at all! Accordingly the PP may be fullyactive at all times, or it may pop in and out depending on any rule,criteria, game, bet, win or by any other design, means or method.

A nice embodiment is to have a means such as a special symbol within areel game that triggers the PP. You play a traditional game, get thePower Path trigger, the PP appears, and the indicator/s selects one ormore PP items for a possible bonus or other award.

Yet another implementation is to treat part or all of the PP as reelextensions. A new way to pay is to include PP symbols that match reelsymbols. Say you have 5 Queens on reels 1 through 5 on a payline thatcoincide with a Queen on the PP adjacent to the 5th reel symbolposition. This PP Queen may have attributes similar to a Powerball instate Lotto. Further assume you have 2 more Queens adjacent to the firstcoincident PP Queen. Now you have 8 Queens! Extension of the PP conceptas described could provide for huge, mega jackpots and standalone orlinked progressives. (Reel extension items do not have to match reelsymbols exactly. Queens may have a blue background and matching PP itemsmay be any provided they are blue, for example.)

OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES

Several advantages are apparent.

1. First, it's fun. This invention adds to traditional spinning reelplay creating anticipation and excitement.

2. Second, players like more choices. In some embodiments the playerdecides by virtue of the wager whether this invention is activated ornot. Thus, it is optional and need not detract from a traditional gamingdevice if any player desires to play without it.

3. This invention gives games designers new options in game design. Itmay be used in virtually any slot machine and other gaming devices.

4. This invention may be used to extend playtime and hence perceivedvalue, since the indicator may continue for some time after the reelsstop. This invention also provides a new way to bestow more time andfeatures.

5. There is not necessarily a presumption of fairness using such anindicator, so very large bonuses may be displayed but programmed not tohit in an equally weighted fashion.

6. This invention gives player more and new ways to win. Bonuses may begranted in more interesting combinations.

7. In the vein of the best inventions this, in hindsight, isstraightforward. It's easy to understand, simple to play and easy toimplement.

8. More player involvement leads to more entertainment value, a primarygoal of game designers and manufacturers. Various Power Path embodimentsprovide for many more player choices within a PP game.

9. The Power Path is an enticement to continue play. Displaying genuinepossibilities first (and accordingly, unbiased near misses) in anethical and aesthetically pleasing manner assures regulatory and playerapproval (unlike less desirable methods used in the past). Any bona-fideinducement to keep playing is a powerful motivator, critically importantto casino operators.

10. This invention illustrates solutions to mathematical design problemsto assure equal or increasing player returns, a requirement in manyjurisdictions.

11. The PP concept may drive mega-jackpot progressives and be engagedover multiple devices or gaming positions, serving trends in casinogaming today.

12. Volatility is greatly enhanced. Unique awards are made possible byuse of the PP. Typical small reel awards of 2 may pay 100 or more!

This disclosure is provided to allow practice of the invention by thoseskilled in the art without undue experimentation, including the bestmode presently contemplated and the presently preferred embodiment.There are numerous variations falling within the scope of the invention.Any subset or combination of the above methods, player selections, meansor forms of wagering or paying, finding winners and losers and/ordisplaying or otherwise presenting selections, indicators or outcomesmay be used. This invention may be employed with any combination ofgames or options including, but not limited to, bonuses, random ormystery awards, multipliers, progressives, other games, player skillcomponents, other features, side bets, wagering or play methods. Thisinvention may be employed in whole or in part, in online games, as abonus, add-on or otherwise in conjunction with new or traditional gamingdevices or methods. Thus, these and all embodiments described should beviewed as illustrative, rather than limiting. Nothing in this disclosureshould be taken to limit the scope of the invention, which issusceptible to numerous alterations, equivalents and substitutionswithout departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The scopeof the invention is to be understood from the appended claims.

1. A method of providing game play to a player, the method of providinggame play comprising: a) offering to such player a chance game; b) thechance game having a first outcome; c) the chance game having a secondoutcome that may alter the first outcome; d) allowing such player toplay the game.
 2. A method of providing game play to a player, themethod of providing game play comprising: a) offering to such player achance game; b) the chance game having a first outcome; c) the chancegame having a second outcome that may alter subsequent outcomes; d)allowing such player to play the game.
 3. A method of providing gameplay to a player, the method of providing game play comprising: a)offering to such player a chance game; b) the chance game having a firstoutcome; c) the chance game having a second outcome that may altersubsequent game segments; d) allowing such player to play the game.